| Statistic/Fact |
Value |
| Israeli occupation date |
June 7, 1967 |
| Distance from district center |
12 (km) Southeast of al-Ramla |
| Elevation from the sea |
200 meters |
| Map location |
See location number #49 on the map |
| Israeli military operation |
Six days war |
| Village defenders |
Jordanian Army and at the outbreak of the war some Egyptian commandoes. |
| Israeli acts of terror |
Based on the orders of the Nobel prize winner, Yitzchak Rabin, armored jeeps broadcasted orders for the immediate eviction of the three villages of 'Imwas, Yalu, and Bayt Nuba to the East Bank. The terrorist, Yitzchak Rabin, gave the inhabitants only a few hours to gather their possessions, and got them on their way to Ramallah. To expedite the ethnic cleansing process, as in 1948 war, the Jewish Army shot over the heads of the fleeing villagers to make sure they would not come back. (see al-Masmiyya al-Kabira, Gaza for an eyewitness account of such terror practices). Soon after, the three villages were bulldozed and dynamited by the 'Jewish Army'. Based on eyewitness account, 12-15 villagers went back to their villages soon after its occupation, and they are still unaccounted for. |
| Refugees' migration route |
Like their predecessors, the refugees from al-Lydd and al-Ramla in 1948, the villagers fled towards the Ramallah area. Many slept in Ramallah's bus station for at least a week, until they were invited in by some of their relatives in the area. Some made it on foot across the bombed al-Lynbi bridge on the Jordan river to Amman, Jordan. |
| Exodus Cause |
Expulsion by Jewish troops |
| Village remains after destruction by Israelis |
The village has been completely obliterated and defaced by building on top of it the so called Canada Recreational Park. Please take the time to protest the building of such park on a looted land by registering your complain to your nearest Canadian Embassy. |
| Ethnically cleansing by Israelis |
The village was completely ethnically cleansed. It is very sad that some village inhabitants were ethnically cleansed twice; the first in 1948 and the second in 1967. |
| Terminating refugee camps |
Many villagers fled to Ramallah and al-Bira to join relatives, and a few made it on foot across the borders to Amman, Jordan. |
| Neighboring towns |
al-Latrun, Yalu, Dayr Ayyub, Salbit, and al-Qubab. |
| Village clans (hamolas) |
The village was mostly populated by the famous Abu Goush family. |
| Land ownership before occupation |
| Ethnic Group |
Land Ownership (Dunums) |
| Arab |
5,151 |
| Jewish |
0 |
| Public |
16 |
| Total |
5,167 |
|
| Land usage in 1945 |
| Land Usage Type |
Arab (Dunum) |
| Irrigated & Plantation |
606 |
| Area planted w/ olives |
15 |
| Planted W/ Cereal |
3,612 |
| Built up |
148 |
| Cultivable |
4,218 |
| Non-Cultivable |
785 |
|
Population
before occupation |
| Year |
Population |
| 1922 |
824 |
| 1931 |
1,021 |
| 1945 |
1,450 |
| 1961 |
1,955 |
|
| Number of houses |
In 1931: 224 |
| Town's name through history |
During the Roman times the village was a district known by Nicopolis (meaning victory), and 'Imwas means "Hot Springs". |
| Schools |
Two schools: the 1st school was for boys which was founded in 1919, and in 1947 it became a full elementary school with 6 teachers and an enrollment of 187 students. Soon after al-Nakba, the boys' school became a full elementary and a secondary school with an enrollment of 304 boys in 1967. The boys' school also had a small library which contained 376 books. The 2nd school was for girls which had an enrollment of 172 girls in 1967. |
| Inhabitants place of origin |
The majority of the villagers belonged to the famous Abu Goush family many of whom were ethnically cleansed from Abu Goush or Qaryat al-'Inab, West of Jerusalem. A few of the inhabitants trace their roots back to Egypt. |
| Religious institutions |
Two Mosques |
| Shrines/maqams |
Two shrines: The 1st belongs to Abu 'Ubydah Ibn al-Jarah, the conqueror of Palestine (in 18 Hijra) from Byzantia at battle of Ajnadin, see Bayt Jibrin, Hebron. Although the shrine is still intact, we were told by eyewitnesses that it's deteriorating and in need of serious renovation. The 2nd shrine/tomb for Mu'ath Ibn Jabal, a companion of the prophet Mohammad, see Pictures section for details. |
| Water supplies |
Several spring and wells provided 'Imwas with its drinking water supplies, and the most famous of these well is Beir al-Hilouh (the sweet well) close to the French Monastery in al-Latrun village. |
| Archeological sites |
The village had many archeological sites and most famous these sites are:- Khirbat al-'Aqed, located between Yalu and 'Imwas, Khirbat Dayr Thakir, and to the East of 'Imwas, khirbat Umm Haratyn. |
| Exculsive jewish colonies on town's lands |
The Canada recreation park. |
| Related Maps |
خرائط تفصيلية للمحافظة
Town's map on MapQuest
View from satellite
Help us map this town at WikiMapia |
| More Information |
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